Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-05-12
A WONDERFUL BLIND
MAN.
THE STORY OF A SENECA COUNTY
PRODIGY.
His Remarkable Perception i'm Spite
of His Blindness-ROmantic
Courtship and Marriage
Now Under Arrest
for Murder.

TIFFIN, o., May 2.-Charles X:
Gaines was born near the village OF
Sycamore, Wyandot county, nearly 5O
years ago. At the age of four years ne
one day wandered from the dooryard
to the farm barn, where his juvenile at
tention was attracted by litter OF III
tie pigs. They struck his fancy, and he
proceeded to appropriate one to be
taken to the house for pet. This so
enraped the mother of the pigs that she
rushed at the despoiler of her family,
and before aid could arrive, had knock
ed the child over and eaten his eyes en-
tiirely from his head. The child was
rescued, and after hovering between
life and death for some time, recovered,
though his face was terribly scared and
disfigured and the eyeballs entirely
gone. This boy grew up the wonder OF
all the country around. In a few years
from the time of his terrible misfOr-
tune he had developed a remarkable
sensitiveness of touch, smell and hear
ing. He early showed a strong ten
dency to precOciOusness, and before he
had grown to manhood became the ter
ror of the neighborhood. He would
wander over the entire township at all
hours of the day or night without any
one to guide him, and from his earliest
youth no one ever heard of his getting
lost, He knew where every melon
patch was, where the best apples,
beaches, or plums grew and where the
first berries ripeped, and never was
slow about helping himself to these or
any other delicacies his appetite de-
sired. When yet q boy he was present.
ed with q pair of game chickens by an
old minister named Spafford, who re-
sided at Sycamore. This blind boy
took O great interest at once in these
game chickens and took to raising
more. 1t was not very long until he
had several game cocks trained to
fighting, and was taking them about
the country and matching them against
others. At these cock fights was first
noticed the wonderful power of intui-
ton which he seemed to possess. He
would stand with the crowd while the
chickens were fighting, and the minute
his bird was getting the best of the
fight he knew it and would show it by
clapping his hands and shouting, but If
it got the worst of it he would look
crestfallen and prepare to retire. He
would bet on the outcome of these
fights, and no one could ever fool him
as to the results. He always knew
whether he had lost or won. AS he
grew to manhood he learned to drink
whisky and at times would drink hard;
then would let it alone for long time.
When under the influence of drink he
was ugly and quarrelsome and would
pick fight with anyone. In q fight
he was no mean opponent for he would
strike straight from the shoulder and
hit his man every time. He learned
the trade of broom-making and at an
early age moved to the village OF Mel
more in the southern part of the coun-
ty, where he piled his vocation. In
1871 Medora Sprague, a comely girl,
graduated from the Tiff1n high schools,
andlthe year following became teach
er in the public schools of the city.
Some time in the course of the next
three years the young lady visited
friends in the village of Melmore.
Here she saw Gaines. Although he
pitied him from the first, and, as is
love, and on August q, 1875, Gaines
took out a marriage license for himself
and Miss Sprague. Five days later
ber at Melmore, the officiating minis.
ter being the Oldest minister in north
western Ohio. This strangely matched
couple settled down to married life in 8
s. little house in the old, slow-going vii.
pearances happy and contented. Two
children have been born to them, botE
bright, pretty little girls. The hus
band let drink, alone for awhile anG
worked steadily. He walked to thi'
city, distance of eight miles, to dis
pose of his ak handles and brooms
After time he took to drink again an(
became abusive. The good people o
the Presbyterian church in the village
took hold of him and he quit drinking
and got along nicely for time. He be
came an active. participant in all thu
church meetings and occasionall,
made temperance addresses which
were marveis of eloquence and orator,
and astonished and moved his audien
ces greatly. He has been seen on
steep roof, mailing on shingles a
straight and as unconcerned as any
body, and getting along with his worl
faster than the carpenters with gooC
sight. One dark night, some years ago
DIR. Martin, of this city, was passin!
through Melmore in his buggy. Sud
denly the doctor was startled by some
one calling from the roadside, "Hello
DIR. Martini" DESTROYS of knowin
who it was he stopped and found tn
man who had accosted him to b
Gaines, the blind man. Manymore in
stances could be related of his wonder
full powers. He could find his wa
with perfect ease and security wher
he had once been, could recognize &C
quaintances on the street before the
spoke; rode horseback recklessly an
played the violin finely. His career a
a temperance advocate was short, h
soon went back to drink. He becam
violent and abusive, was always quar-
reling with somebody and beat hi
family in brutal manner, and woul,
not provide for their wants. The eli
max was reached last August when h
went on a protracted spree, and his wifi
went to the only saloon keeper in tn
town and ordered him not to sell he
husband any more liquor. The mex
day, the 10Th dayof Aug. Gaines AN
his nephew Nathan 'Echelberry, GO
hold of some hard cider and got drunk
then went to the saloon and demande
whisky. They were refused and wen
away swearing vengeance. Gaines wen
To. several places and ,trieddo borrow
revolver but failed. In about an hpu
fl1s,A IA xfu,, oA ,D ,Et,,tfh a lorrro ctn.5